Democratic lawmakers shot by right-wing vigilante, No Kings protest is still on

Twin Cities, MN – In the early morning hours of June 14, an individual came to the door of State Senator John Hoffman in Champlin, reportedly impersonating a police officer. He shot at Hoffman and his wife, who shielded their child from the gunfire. Then the gunman, who has been identified as Reverend Vance Boelter, went to the Brooklyn Park home of State Representative Melissa Hortman, where he shot and killed Representative Hortman and her husband. Reportedly, police arrived at the scene and Boelter fled on foot. He reportedly left behind his vehicle, which appeared similar to an SUV squad car. In his car, authorities report they found a list of other targets, also elected officials. Hortman is a leader of the state DFL party, and Hoffman is also a democrat.

Reverend Boelter is a Zionist with a background in private security.

Trump’s policies have created a climate that inflames right wing violence. The last week has seen National Guard and Marines deployed to the streets of Los Angeles, multi-agency federal operations in major cities across the US including Minneapolis, and Trump’s self-congratulatory “birthday parade” of tanks in D.C.

Meanwhile, plainclothes ICE agents operating without identification have sparked chaos, blurring the line between government raids and vigilante kidnappings and violence.

“Regular people, including many veterans, have taken to the streets to protect their neighbors from ICE and the rest of Trump’s jackbooted thugs. Trump and his mouthpieces have responded with threatening language that encourages their supporters to take matters into their own hands,” said Jess Sundin, District Organizer of Freedom Road Socialist Organization in the Twin Cities. “Our communities have the right to defend themselves.”

Even so, today’s No Kings protests are surging ahead across the country, representing a massive confluence of labor, climate, immigrant rights, anti-war, women’s groups, and other movements part of the broad front against the Trump administration.

“The people are going to turn this into a rallying cry against this administration,” said Charlie Berg of the Climate Justice Committee. “Trump wants us to stay home. We’re marching because surrendering isn’t an option.”

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